Mexican superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez 59-2-2 (39) has a long memory.
The WBC, WBA, WBO and IBF super middleweight champion remembers all of the negative comments made about him in the past by undisputed junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo 35-1-1 (19) and his twin brother Jermall.
On Saturday 30 September, Alvarez, 33, will have the chance to prove Charlo wrong when he defends his undisputed championship against the 33-year-old Texan at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“I always want to make the best fights out there. I’m excited to be in this fight. This is a fight that people have talked about for a while. I’m excited to show the Charlos my skills. Now Jermell is gonna feel my skills,” Alvarez said from his Lake Tahoe training camp.
“I think Jermell Charlo is the perfect fight right now. He’s been calling me out for a long time and I never forget. He’s said a lot of things. He never believed in my skills, but he’s gonna find out soon. Him and his brother didn’t believe in my skills and that motivates me for this fight.
“We always prepare 100% no matter where we are. It’s different being here. At the beginning, I couldn’t breathe very well. But right now, I feel great. I’ve found a place that’s made me happy and strong.
“Charlo will be good at 168 pounds. I’ve made that jump before so I know. I think that when you’re a great champion like he is, it doesn’t matter.
“These kinds of fights motivate me. I like being underestimated. That’s what makes me excited for this fight.
“I always believe that I’m number one. My whole career. Because you need to believe in yourself. I still believe I’m number one. But I believe there is more than just one fighter alone at the top, there are a few.
“I still feel young and fresh. I never think about the end of my career. I just train and fight year after year. I still feel that I’m at my best.
“I’m very proud to represent Mexico. I have a lot of pride in my country. I feel amazing when I walk into the ring and see all the Mexican flags and hear the Mexican music. It feels great to represent my country.
“I feel great. This is really one of the best camps I’ve ever had. I feel great to be able to train 100% now with my left hand. That’s made me more confident. When you train knowing that you’re healthy, you’ll be more confident in the fight.
“I like being here in Lake Tahoe because I’m 100% focused. It’s just me and my team and we’re focused on the fight. It makes me feel ready for the fight.”
Trainer Eddy Reynoso added: “This is gonna be a great fight. Jermell is a great fighter who’s accomplished a lot in his career, so the fans are going to get an excellent matchup.
“There are times in a career where you have to change things up like training camp locations. We spent five or six years in San Diego and got a lot of great results. The altitude has been great for us here and we feel very good in Lake Tahoe as well.
“Canelo is ready to fight whoever it may be. Right now, we’re squarely focused on Jermell Charlo and that’s our task on September 30. We’ll be ready for whoever comes after that.”
